Translation has a lot of really subjective aspects obviously, but I keep noticing unambiguous errors here and there in the official subs from the Nozomi Entertainment release. It seems like the official translators sometimes have trouble with idioms and homophones, in ways that can muddy characters' motivations and plot points a little. So I'm curious, is there some other fansub that's more popular, or are the Nozomi subs just generally how most English-speakers experience Utena?
Some examples, just off the top of my head, of the sorts of errors I'm seeing (Utena spoilers below the cut):
Episode 6, "Take Care, Miss Nanami!", 12:05
Miki is talking with Utena, about Nanami dating Tsuwabuki after thinking Touga is trying to kill her.
Nozomi subs: "But it looks like this whole incident may be the answer."
My transcription: "でも今回の事件、かなり応えてるみたいですよ。"
My translation: "But it looks like this incident is hitting her pretty hard."
The official translators seem to have misinterpreted 応えてる (affecting, hitting home) as 答えてる (answering), which wouldn't really make sense in this context. This one is pretty minor in terms of actual significance to the plot, but the Nozomi translation does make it sound more like Miki thinks this is a positive development for Nanami, which uhhhh...
Episode 7, "Unfulfilled Juri", 13:51–14:07
Juri is telling Utena to throw away her Rose Crest.
Nozomi subs
That "nobility" of yours...
You have it because some guy you like tricked you into having it!
Besides, if dueling for the Rose Bride is stupid...
...then this sentimental mush for your "prince" is just as stupid!
The only worthwhile thing it's given you is nobility.
My transcription
つまり君の気高さとやらは
好きな男に言われてやっているだけの猿芝居なんだ！
そうとも、薔薇の花嫁を奪い合うなんてことも、
君のいう王子様へのセンチメンタルと同じで馬鹿げたことさ！
だけど、その資格があるのは本当に気高き者だけだ！
My translation
That "nobility" of yours...
It's just a farce you're putting on because some guy you like told you to!
You're right, dueling for the Rose Bride...
...is just as stupid as this sentimental mush for your "prince"!
But only the truly noble have that right!
I can't really point to any specific source of confusion here; it's a heated scene, Juri's talking fast, and I have no idea what sort of labor conditions or time constraints the official translators were working under. But this definitely impacts the valence of this scene, in terms of what Juri thinks of Utena and what sort of challenge she's issuing.
Episode 22, "Nemuro Memorial Hall", 16:00
Mikage is reacting to the proposal Akio has presented him with.
Nozomi subs
Why have all these contractees been brought together like this?
And even if we do attain eternity, it won't make her happy...
My transcription
その契約してる彼らを、なぜこんな目に遭わせようとする？
それに、こんなことまでして永遠を手に入れても、彼女は喜ばない。
My translation
Why would you want to subject those contractees to such a fate?
And even if we do attain eternity by these means, it won't make her happy.
I think the key mistake here was misinterpreting 遭わせる (to have (someone) meet (with misfortune)) as 会わせる (to have (people) meet), and missing the idiomatic context of 目に遭わせる that makes the correct interpretation clear. Then in the next line, without that context from the preceding line I guess they didn't really know what to do with "if we go this far to attain eternity", so it just ended up as "if we attain eternity".
This is the most glaring error for me, in terms of actually changing how people interpret the story. I've had conversations with friends where they think that Mikage came up with the idea of Doing An Arson himself; but I think a better translation would suggest a lot more strongly that Akio's the one presenting Mikage with mass sacrifice as the solution to his equation for attaining eternity.
